The Trees Have Something to Tell Us
(for George)

By Annette Darity Garber

Shh..
listen.
The trees have something
to tell us
and you cannot hear them
if your shoes or your mind
are running down the street toward
tomorrow.

So please,
for the sake of tomorrow,
for the sake of today
(which is gone tomorrow),
for the sake of your soul
if not for the trees,
listen.

You want me to tell you
what they are saying?

I could, but you would not hear it.

So,
go to the trees;
drop the map,
leave the phone in the car
and all your degrees.

Walk slowly,
as if you’re on holy ground,
which, of course,
you are.

Or run!
Approaching as you would
a long, lost childhood friend,
which,
of course…
you are.

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Annette Darity Garber is a writer, spiritual director, educator, and retreat facilitator. Particularly drawn to eco-spirituality, Annette facilitates programs that invite people into a deeper connection with themselves, the sacred, and the natural world. She lives with her family on the traditional homelands of the Lenni Lenape, also known as Berks County, PA, where they care for a small farmette. For more see: https://annettegarber.com/